I broke it - something wrong.need help

[joe claudio]

Greetings All,
I recently purcashed a very lightly used ( less then an hour) fully functioning Shenhui laser. It was vetted, all worked at pick up , worked when I got it home and set up. made a few test cuts /progets . Its running laser work 6, with an rdlc 320 controler. I have a few self created problems.
I BROKE IT .... basicly I dialed my self out of the set up , when I boot up the machine, connected to my windows 7 lap top OR my XP sp3 desktop, the gantry cant find "home" . My preferd machine 0,0 is top left . X axis resets normaly , however Y-0 ( top left) the head will move at normal speed, then slow down as it approaches the magnetic limit switch, but the switch will not trigger a "stop".
When I have the machine off, move the gantry to some where near the center of the machine, power on machine, it will "seek" home ... while gantry is moving - slow speed.....( not an issue) I can "fake" home by putting something metal by limit switches - it will "stop" at either axis, ( red light acivativates- stops - and backs off 1mm) depending on which switch I activate. The issue is ... X + ( right side top) stops and resets as it should, Y(0) ( top left ) WONT STOP it will continue to slip the belt till the motor thinks its at "0" - or reaches its limit - I dont know.

Another thing is , On the machine display, i have access to reset the axes, can reset them ( but Y0 still bangs) at reset,
when its all said and done, the arrow keys dont work to move the gantry, I can also not use the "test" tab to move the gantry, Seems like I have a missed a element in set up- missunderstandng of the instructions.- I did this to my self.

What I ask is if any one can send me a working "VENDOR PARM" - my machine is the 500x300 MM machine .....
I can provide more details - of troubleshooting I have done but the above is the heart of the matter.
Thank you in advance
-Joe

[Shawn Morris]

I also have a shenhui 350 laser. Mine started doing the same thing. I believe that there may be a common issue with these, as I purchased mine used and replaced the mainboard for this very issue. Now the new mainboard does it. Instead of replacing the mainboard again, I unchecked the homing checkbox in setup. Now it works fine but I have to pay attention to where the head is when sending jobs to it. I am not at home now, and I can't remember exactly what the setting is labeled, but that is what worked for me. PM me if you have further questions.

[Rich Harman]

First, are you sure there is a limit sensor on the left side, for the X axis? I would not expect there to be limit switches on both sides. I ordered my machine for "home" to be at top left yet they still mounted the limit switch on the right. You can change the home position in software but 'machine zero' will remain as it was.

Having a hard time following what you are saying, "X axis resets normaly , however Y-0 ( top left) the head will move at normal speed...". It sounds like you might be saying that the Y axis homes normally but the X axis does not. The X axis is the axis the laser head moves in (left - right). If you have changed the home position then you need to change the direction of homing too, for only the X axis. It's been a long time since I messed with those settings so I don't recall the specifics.

[Bill George]

Greetings All,
I recently purcashed a very lightly used ( less then an hour) fully functioning Shenhui laser. It was vetted, all worked at pick up , worked when I got it home and set up. made a few test cuts /progets . Its running laser work 6, with an rdlc 320 controler. I have a few self created problems.
I BROKE IT .... basicly I dialed my self out of the set up , when I boot up the machine, connected to my windows 7 lap top OR my XP sp3 desktop, the gantry cant find "home" . My preferd machine 0,0 is top left . X axis resets normaly , however Y-0 ( top left) the head will move at normal speed, then slow down as it approaches the magnetic limit switch, but the switch will not trigger a "stop".
When I have the machine off, move the gantry to some where near the center of the machine, power on machine, it will "seek" home ... while gantry is moving - slow speed.....( not an issue) I can "fake" home by putting something metal by limit switches - it will "stop" at either axis, ( red light acivativates- stops - and backs off 1mm) depending on which switch I activate. The issue is ... X + ( right side top) stops and resets as it should, Y(0) ( top left ) WONT STOP it will continue to slip the belt till the motor thinks its at "0" - or reaches its limit - I dont know.

Another thing is , On the machine display, i have access to reset the axes, can reset them ( but Y0 still bangs) at reset,
when its all said and done, the arrow keys dont work to move the gantry, I can also not use the "test" tab to move the gantry, Seems like I have a missed a element in set up- missunderstandng of the instructions.- I did this to my self.

What I ask is if any one can send me a working "VENDOR PARM" - my machine is the 500x300 MM machine .....
I can provide more details - of troubleshooting I have done but the above is the heart of the matter.
Thank you in advance
-Joe
I am a little confused, are your limit switches on the top right or top left? Should be a limit switch for each axis, the machine will try to find those until both are tripped. There is a Homing procedure and speed. If one is not stopping the carriage, its either missing the switch (mine was) or the switch is bad. You normally can't change the machine Reset home, at least on the Chinese machines anyway.

[Jerome Stanek]

On my LG the zero is top right no switch on the left.

[joe claudio]

304571Greetings all ,
Thank you for the comments/suggestions.
Please let me clarify a few of my confusing statements.
My machine has 2 limit switches . One is static mounted to the frame, located on the top right side. The 2nd switch is located on the top left Y axis and moves in the Y direction( up and down ) with the gantry. Both are red cube magnetic proximity switches. Both work -independently - with machine off, if I move the gantry to some where near the middle and power on system – Gantry will make a coordinated move to the top left- when gantry approaches the top right - proximity switch kicks in, gantry stops and then moves in/backs off …”homes”. – all ok - normal as expected. Then head moves to “top left”- However .. it approaches the limit switch, limit switch does not “kick” and then it continues to “try to find “home” - slipping the belt- “banging” until the motor makes a revolution , it stops and then from there it will move about 50 MM to RIGHT and “settle down” .
Both switches work independently – Again , with machine powered off .. head somewhere in middle , power on unit - gantry is moving ( resetting- homing ) … I put something metal near either switch- in either axis motion will stop in that axis .
I can read/write to the controller with any changes I make …. I make a change , reboot machine I can see the changes … have full access to control panel . However I cant control the machine from the TEST tab in laser works – can read current postion – ( off from where I EXPECT it to be ) … and I cant control ( move) gantry from touch pad …
I AM NOT HERE to BASH the machine/software … I created this problem myself ….IT WAS WORKING ! I created some kind of “conflict” between user and vendor settings .
If the community has a “vendor setting” and “user setting” file that works together that I can use as a base line and wish to share, I would be most appreciative .
Thank you304572

[Bill George]

Joe , Mine could not hit the X Home switch because a wire was keeping it just far enough away it was not tripping. Also in my software there is and area to download the setup parameters to the machine . Perhaps that is like yours also.

[Rich Harman]

It would be good to gets some terminology correct. The limit switch mounted to the frame at the top right is for the Y axis. The one mounted on the gantry is for the X axis. The gantry can only move up and down (forward and back) it cannot move left and right.

So what you are saying is that the Y axis homes correctly but the X axis does not - the head moves to the left, towards the limit switch but it does not "see" it. Is that correct?

If while the head is moving left you put something metal by the X axis limit switch - will it stop? If so then you may just need to slightly bend the metal tab mounted to the laser head so that it is better oriented to trigger the limit switch.

[joe claudio]

@ Rich,
Yes that is it. how u describe it , is what is happining, The I have adjusted the metal tab, it lines up square to the top left proximity switch. I even went as far as putting a 10/32 nut and bolt in the slot.

[Martin James]

until you get it fixed you can slow your machine speed down. I think you can do that from the LCD.
maybe the setting is called travel speed.

I use a slower speed than the default so that it is easier to aim the head with the arrow keys.
Also look in the user settings and make sure of your table size.
Because I use 2 heads side by side, I have my 1200mm table set to 1100. A normal twin tube setting would be 600mm for the 1200mm bed, with the heads set at 0 and 600.

Maybe resetting the table smaller and then back to the correct size would clear out a bad preference file. Ie from 600 to 500 then back to 600.

Personally I would recommend sticking with only one computer until it all gets worked out.

maybe someone else who knows will chime in, but I would think that the magnetic stop would be a secondary safety which would only need to work when the table size setting fails.

And also read the threads on grounding.
cheers marty

[Rich Harman]

I have adjusted the metal tab, it lines up square to the top left proximity switch. I even went as far as putting a 10/32 nut and bolt in the slot.

So you cannot adjust the metal tab in such a way to trigger the limit switch - but you can trigger it with some other metal object?

If you can trigger it manually while in the homing process that would mean that the software settings are okay and the limit switch is working. I have had this problem once before and a slight adjustment to the metal tab was the cure.

Can you take a video so that we can see what is happening?

Since the problem occurs during homing I cannot see how the computer would affect it. The limit switch is used in homing, once homed it will not move outside it's limits because it always knows it's location. If the table size settings are wrong then after homing it could bang into the ends not knowing that space had run out.

[joe claudio]

Greetings all ,
Thanks for the input and the "lets look back" at what happend. I did have my terminolgy "BACKWARDS" what I thoght was x .. was actually the Y. ( for that mag swicthes) After I swapped around my "labels" and thoght process I was able to get a better handle on what was happining. As an aside, I was under the assumption that "changes" I made through the interface were Dynamic- take immeadte effect - Not SO - system has to be rebooted( laser) for the changes to take effect. so in effect , i make a change, expect X results, with "no change" so i make another "change" with no results- no "CHANGE" .. out of frustration I reboot, system goes crazy, and then goes back to the first of the 3 "changes" I made - but by that time - i have already dialed my self out "again" because of what I expected on the first set of changes that "didnt stick".
Im running laser works V6 - there are 2 files RDV ( top tool bar, FILE, drop down, Vendor settings, - Password rd8888, - READ- that will give you your current config.) you can then SAVE the config to the desk top as an "my set up".RDV file . Second file is obtained on the rigth side panel select USER tab .. READ .. and that will read the user config . - then you can save the file to "desktop" as a "mysetup.RDU file- I have a conflict between the 2 files - as a security concern - No it has nothing to do with anything you are making/doing /progets .. the 2 files are stricly machine set up.

Thank you for your help

[joe claudio]

Greetins all ,
Thanks to Bill I ws able to get one axis to "behave".
Im having trouble unserstanding .. the "instructions" in the "Manual" its backwards and 90 degrees to what i would normaly expect the resuts to be. Im GREATFULL that i can now control the machine, so its not a hardware -controler issue . its all set up ....Like isaid .. it WORKED before hand - I dialed my self OUT
Thank you folks for your input .
-Joe